Zionism had a friend in the Far East

One of the strenghts of the Zionist movement in the Mandate days was, that it was well organised in Europe and the USA, the centres of powers. Against this the Palestinians had nothing. They did not have representatives arguing and lobbying in favour of and defending the position of the indigenous Palestinian population in the European capitals. Sun Yat-Sen never met Palestinian Arabs and never went to Palestine. Had he done so, he would - as a Chinese nationalist - have had sympathy for the predicament of the Palestinian position.

Palestine was populated both with Jews and Palestinians. Problem is, when Israel declared independence in 1948. Palestinians however didn't do the same. They have rejected jewish state and instead, suported by arab neighbours, they declared war.

Maybe he had heard a bit about it but never thought about it much. And, as you say, he probably had no reason to antagonize those around him. And opposing the Holocaust is quite different from supporting Zionism and - inherent in the idea of a Jewish state - the uprooting of Palestine's indigenous population. Another point: The Japanese occupiers of China stood up to Hitler on the Holocaust issue (a matter you documented in another article - and, as I remember, n one of your books - some years ago)

And Chinese were right. Division, many would say even outright colonization of Palestine, brought into existence a conflict that has brought suffering and hardship to both Arabs and Jews. And it certainly looks like one of those that might last for decades if not centuries. What Jews around the world need to realize is that there are many of us around the world who respect and admire them and their commitment to each other. But the occupation, treatment of Palestinians, and often condescending attitude towards non-Jews who visit Israel is like a thorn in your eye. An aggravation which simply can't let you commit to Jewish cause unconditionally.

because he did not owe them anything." Who owed nationalistic Jews anything? Israel created by democracy? Hmmm.